Leftist Party Could Join Israel Government

Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister-designate of Israel, has been given an extra two weeks to form a government after a breakthrough in talks with Ehud Barak, the leader of the Labor Party and the country's outgoing defense minister. While Netanyahu has been ready to complete his right-wing cabinet this week, Barak seems ready to join in, warning that letting the hard right govern Israel would be irresponsible.

The Labor Party went down to a fourth-place finish in February's election, behind the ultranationalist Yisrael Beiteinu Party, which has already joined Netanyahu's government. Several members of Labor say they won't support a government they consider too far right, but Barak insisted negotiations were appropriate: "What is wrong with talking to Netanyahu? I have spoken with senior PLO terrorists. Is Netanyahu the worst of our nation's enemies?" (More Israeli Labor Party stories.)